Chocolate
by LittleSpringroll
Summary: He also loved sweets, especially chocolate. - ConflictingShipping, Leaf x Blue.


_A little something for all you awesome readers because Mischief Makers won't be updated for a while. R&R please!  
_

**...**

They would hold hands, walking down the path. Blue would pull to the right, and Leaf to the left, and in the end they would step forward together.

They told each other nearly everything. Leaf almost always shared her secrets with Blue, and although he tried to keep his thoughts to himself, Leaf had her ways of getting him to talk.

Leaf had a habit of inviting herself over to Blue's house – or rather, to his pantry. Usually Blue would scowl and yell at her. But sometimes he didn't mind, because he also loved sweets, especially chocolate. The two of them easily ate up all the chocolate in Blue's fridge (before Leaf had to leave in order to keep her parents from suspecting that she wasn't just playing in the backyard).

Some days they would play at the pond. Together, they skipped stones and made castles in the mud. Leaf's stones would always sink the first time they touched the water, and Blue's castles looked more like Dittos than buildings, but it didn't matter. They were friends, and they had fun.

Other times they climbed trees. They would race each other up the tall trees where the Weedles and Caterpies made their homes. Blue was scared of bugs and Leaf was afraid of heights, but in the end, no matter who won the race, they always both made it to the top. They were rivals, and they helped spur each other on.

Once in a while, one of them would dare the other to sneak out of town. It was dangerous on Route 1 for the kids, and whenever wild Pokémon battled nearby, they curled up and hid together in the tall grass. They were partners, and they journeyed side by side.

But soon that changed. For the first time, they left town with permission. They started their Pokémon journeys as rivals. They were never too far from each other; he would wait for her, and she would wait for him. Slowly, though, they started to grow away from each other, fighting their own battles and no longer wondering what the other might be doing. Finally, they fought for the Championship. This was no longer just for fun. Whoever won would be considered the best Trainer around.

Now, Leaf realizes that the moment she started her Pokémon journey, her life had changed forever. _It's been too long since I last played by this pond, too long since the last time I've been at the pond with –_

"What are you staring at?"

Leaf turns to see her spikey-haired friend looking down at her. _Blue's here. _She shrugs.

"Memories?"

Leaf feels surprised that he knows. She nods.

He thinks a moment before asking, "Wanna make sand, er, mud castles?"

Leaf nods again and smiles. Blue takes her hand and she stands. She blushes slightly. Back when they were little, holding hands didn't mean a thing, but now…

"What are you waiting for, Leaf?" They're already at the side of the pond where they used to build castles, and he sits down on the grass nearby. She sits next to him, unsure of what to do. He scoops up a bit of the mud and dumps it in front of him. She hesitantly does the same.

"Leaf." He looks up from making his 'castle'. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

She knows why. It's because she has nothing to say to him, really. She's almost afraid that she'll say something weird. It's hard to think of something to say to a good friend who you haven't seen for years. But can she tell him that? She's not sure, so instead, she shrugs.

They build their castles in silence. It's nothing like old times, when they'd be noisy and silly; this time is awkward and quiet.

Leaf finally glances to her left, where Blue has finished his 'castle'. For the first time, she speaks. "What…"

Blue nods slightly. Encouraged, Leaf tries again.

"What…what the _heck_ is _that_?" She giggles, pointing to the lump of mud in front of her friend.

Embarrassed, Blue stutters, "It's, it's, um, how about, you guess?"

_He just doesn't want to admit he's bad at making castles._ Leaf pretends to study it, careful to keep a straight face. "Hmm…it looks like…" She snaps her fingers. "…A car!"

"Yes! Of course it's a car! Wait, what?" Blue is surprised by the trick. The mud looks nothing like a car. Leaf bursts out laughing, and after a moment, Blue joins in. It's good to laugh again. Leaf feels light-hearted. This is the first time she's had a good laugh in months.

Next, they go to one of the trees they used to climb. It was taller, maybe it would even have been intimidating if they were younger, but they've grown, too.

"I'm not afraid of bugs any more," Blue announces as they reach the base.

"I'm not scared of heights," Leaf lies.

They race to the top. Soon, they're seated on a high branch. Leaf unfortunately makes the mistake of looking down, feels a dizzy rush, and grabs Blue's shirt for a moment. She quickly lets go, though. _I'm not afraid. I'm not scared._

Blue chuckles a little. "You really are scared, aren't you," he teases. "Really, Leafy, we're not that high up – aagh!"

Leaf watches Blue as his face turns white when a Caterpie stares at him. She grins and uses one hand to grab the bug and place it on her lap. "Why isn't it so _adorable_," she coos. "Want to pet it, Blue-chan?"

"N-n-no!" He leans away. "L-let's go d-down now…"

So they help each other climb down. They argue about what to do next. They do a few of the activities they remember. And finally, they sit together at the pond once more, watching the sunset.

"Blue?"

"Hm?"

Leaf blushes a little as she looks down to see her hand in his. "This… is like…a date…"

He blushes too, and looks away, but doesn't argue with her statement.

"But there's one thing…" Leaf slides her free hand into her bag and pulls out a recognizable candy. Chocolate, his favorite.

"Want a Kiss?"

******...**


End file.
